Optical tape is a data storage medium. In certain examples, it can take the form of long narrow strips onto which patterns can be written and from which patterns can be read. Optical tape may facilitate higher data transfer rates, greater storage capacity, and reduced access times relative to magnetic tape. Moreover because optical tape is written and read using optical pick up units that do not touch the recording surface of the tape, it may be more durable than magnetic tape.
Optical tape is being explored to meet future high capacity tape demands by incorporating multiple optical pick up units (OPUs) in a drive. A tape drive employing optical technology should be cost-competitive compared to existing magnetic tape drives. With as many as 24 or more OPUs in each drive, low OPU cost could be desirable.